KIDS FIRST! Film Festival
Third Quarter 2009 (July 15 - Oct. 15)

> Call for Entries
March 15 - Early Deadline
April 15 - Regular Deadline
May 15 - Late Deadline
May 25 - CQCM Member Late

> KIDS FIRST!
112 W San Francisco Street, Suite 305A
Santa Fe , NM 87501 USA
Tel.: 505.989.8076
Fax: 505.986.8477

E.mail : contact us

Website: http://www.kidsfirst.org/filmfestival/index.html

KIDS FIRST! Film Festival

 Now in its tenth year, the KIDS FIRST! Film Festival is a showcase for new and classic children's films, TV shows, and DVDs from studios, independent producers and youth producers. Programming includes sneak previews of outstanding films, DVDs and TV shows made for children ages 2 through 18. Sneak peeks of new films from major studios, classic films, and hidden jewels from independent and student producers are shown. All films that are shown must meet the KIDS FIRST! baseline acceptance criteria of: no gratuitous violence, no racial or cultural bias, no inappropriate sexual content, no replicable unsafe behavior, and no condescension towards children. Most importantly, the KIDS FIRST! Film Festival selects films that are new, innovative, and inspiriting. We know that media affects children, positively or negatively and we look for programming that will make a positive impact on the audience.
Annually, more than 1,000,000 kids and parents attend screenings of films selected by KIDS FIRST! These screenings take place year-round, 365 days a year, at more than 100 different venues nationwide. Our partners include established film festivals, art and children's museums, and nonprofit film centers. Additionally we collaborate with many libraries, schools, and local community organizations who screen films year-round. To find a venue near you where you can attend a screening, visit our online tracking system at kidsfirst.org/fest.

A Traveling Festival

The KIDS FIRST! Film Festival provides children and adults with an incredible film experience in their own community. The KIDS FIRST! Film Festival is hosted locally by established film festivals such as the Newport Beach Film Festival, Santa Fe Film Festival, USA KidFilm in Dallas, the Delray Beach Film Festival, Calgary International Film Festival and the Atlanta International Film Festival; art and children's museums such as the Children's Museum of Houston and Brooklyn Children's Museum; nonprofit film centers such as the Avalon Theater in Washington DC, the Santa Fe Film Society and the Denver Film Society. Libraries, schools and other local organizations also participate. Each local venue reaches thousands of children and parents at their screenings which include annual festivals, monthly film clubs and outreach free screenings in local schools or libraries. This results in year-round screenings to an audience of more than a million kids and their respective adults.

Programming

KIDS FIRST! accepts more than 300 titles every year, changing the programming every quarter. For a list of titles included in the current festivals, and the venues where they are playing, visit our online booking site.
One of the strengths of our programming is that we have carefully identified the age appropriateness of every film shown and categorize them by five age categories: 0-2, 2-5, 5-8, 8-12, and 12-18

To qualify for the KIDS FIRST! Film Festival, your film or screenplay must meet the KIDS FIRST! criteria and be suitable for children between the age of 2 to 18. The production quality must be acceptable for the large screen, and the entertainment value suitable for a "festival" audience. Programs lacking in these last two qualities may be better suited for a KIDS FIRST! endorsement, particularly if they have strong educational value and work best in a face-to-face environment.

KIDS FIRST! Criteria

Accepted titles have been evaluated by juries of adults and kids and, at the bare minimum, all must meet the KIDS FIRST! baseline acceptance criteria of: no gratuitous violence; no racial or cultural bias; no inappropriate sexual behavior; no replicable unsafe behavior; no condescension towards children. 

KIDS FIRST! Best Awards

Once a year, we honor the best films (and screenplays) shown during the previous year at the annual KIDS FIRST! Best Awards Day. Awards are given in more than 25 different categories. Judges for the awards are senior film programmers and senior KIDS FIRST! jurors, KIDS FIRST! 
KIDS FIRST! Best 2008 Winners ; 2008 Nominees.

2009 SUBMISSIONS GUIDELINES -RULES & REGULATIONS
Send us your kids and family films!
Third Quarter 2009 (July 15 - Oct. 15)

March 15 - Early Deadline
April 15 - Regular Deadline
May 15 - Late Deadline
May 25 - CQCM Member Late
Apply online to submit to KIDS FIRST! at http://www.kidsfirst.org/submit-a-title/kf-what-filmfest.html%20

Application: Three, non-returnable preview screeners of films must be submitted in VHS or DVD format (NTSC) with your Festival application. For screenplays, three hard copies are required with your application.
Fees range from $20 to $75 depending on length of film, deadlines and production type.

Upon acceptance for the festival, you must send an additional 10 non-returnable DVDs for our multiple screenings. Shorts, less than 12 minutes in length will only be required to sent an additional 3 DVDs and to authorize KIDS FIRST! to re-author onto a festival compilation disk. If your screenplay is nominated for a Best of Fest award in October, we will require a pdf version.

Once you submit a title for Film Festival consideration, you may not withdraw it. Acceptance notification will be emailed and mailed by USPS approximately 30 days prior to the start of the quarter for which it is accepted. Late submissions and non-acceptances will be notified slightly later. You will receive an acceptance agreement which specifies your deliverables and deadlines. Our festival is programmed by quarter. Please check our deadline schedule to find the one that works best for you and submit accordingly.

Promotional Materials: Upon acceptance, you will be asked to send cover art (if available), stills and a promotional trailer (if available). Your acceptance letter will specify size and format of files and instructions on how to send them.

Dates of Festival play: If accepted, your title will be offered to every KIDS FIRST! Film Festival partner venue through our online booking system. We will do our best to get you as many bookings as possible during the quarter for which you submit. At times, it will be offered during subsequent quarters if there is space available and adequate interest.

Number of titles accepted for Festival: Approximately 75 titles are selected every quarter, 300 annually.

Apply online to submit to KIDS FIRST! at http://www.kidsfirst.org/submit-a-title/kf-what-filmfest.html

Mailing address:
COALITION FOR QUALITY CHILDREN'S MEDIA
112 W. San Francisco St. , 305A, Santa Fe , NM 87501
phone: 505.989.8076; fax: 505.986.8477

Once accepted by the Festival, your film or screenplay:

• Receives an "Official Selection KIDS FIRST! Film Festival" designation for which you may use the logo in all your publicity materials.
• Is included in the KIDS FIRST! Film Festival Program, 10,000 of which are distributed quarterly.
• Is included on the KIDS FIRST! web site which receives 1 million hits monthly.
• Qualifies as a nominee for the KIDS FIRST! Best of the Fest Award.

KIDS FIRST! Best Awards

Every title accepted by the KIDS FIRST! Film Festival, including screenplays, is eligible for a KIDS FIRST! Best Award, presented each fall to films that have played during the previous 12 months.